Mike Harris

Michael “Mike” Ray Harris passed away on May 2, 2024, at the T. Boone Pickens Hospice Center in Dallas, Texas.  He was born to Aubrey Ray and Dixie Mills Harris in Sentinel, Oklahoma on December 24, 1941.

Mike grew up in Lawton, Oklahoma.  His college days were interrupted by his being called up by the U.S. Army to serve as a clerk at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky during the Berlin Crisis in the early 1960’s.  He graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1966 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. He was employed in various capacities for over 30 years with Phillips Petroleum, which was located at the time in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, where he met his wife Patty Wells, who was a teacher of French at Sooner High School. They married on July4, 1968 in El Reno, Oklahoma.

Mike’s work at Phillips led them to New Jersey, London, England, Maracaibo, Venezuela, and to Plano, Texas.  Pat and Mike have been residents of Plano for over 42 years. Together they have been privileged to travel extensively to over 30 different countries.

Following his career with Phillips and some of its subsidiaries, Mike truly enjoyed working for a short period of time at Rimkus Consulting, where he performed forensic investigations of various mechanical and environmental type failures.

Mike was an avid member of the Dallas Gun Club where he enjoyed shooting trap, skeet, helices, and sporting clays with his fellow members Cort Steinhorst and Rick Perez, along with many others.  Mike was asked to be a referee for Olympic Trap at the 1986 Festival Games which were held in Houston, Texas. He and Pat represented the United States on their respective men’s and women’s teams during the World Helice Championship in Porto, Portugal in 1998.  (The US women won the Team Silver Medal)

Mike was also a member of the Grace Notes Handbell Ensemble at Grace Presbyterian Church in Plano.  His wood-working skills are on display in the narthex in the form of portable display tables and a welcome center.

He is survived by his wife Pat; his sister, Mary Thompson; his niece Sylvia Hacker (Bill); his nephew Mike Thompson (Jayleen); and by his great nieces, Sarah, Jenise, and Serena.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Friday, May 24, 2024, at Grace Presbyterian, 4300 W Park Blvd, Plano, Texas.

Mike will be laid to rest with military honors at the Dallas/Ft. Worth National Cemetery at 10:00 a.m., Friday, May 24, 2024.

If desired contributions in Mike’s memory may be made to Grace Presbyterian Church, Plano, Texas, or to T. Boone Pickens Hospice Center in Dallas, Texas.